It Burns Being Broke, Hurts Being Heartbroken, And Always Being Both Must Be A Drag...

The holiday season is deeply upon us. The stresses of daily life compounded with the strain of the holidays equals major issues for some. What better way to let loose than throw some killer parties...
To celebrate, we here at the Ideological Cuddle are prepping a massive end-of-the-decade set of posts celebrating our favorite music from the past 10 years. It's hard to believe that the 'Oughts' are almost over and a new decade will be dawning. It's even more difficult to believe some of the records that came out in this decade (it's already been 9 years since Kid A, REALLY???). I have a huge list of albums that inspired me and pushed me along over the past 10 years and can't wait to share my favorites with you. I encourage all dear readers out there to leave your comments with your favorites from the past decade as well...

One of the bands that will definitely be included in the Decade's Best is the Hold Steady. I realized that I hadn't posted anything about this raucous bunch of Minnesotans (via Brooklyn) to this point as I was going through their back cataglogue (completely encompassed in this decade, by the way). Craig Finn's lyrics and delivery are steeped in the mythology of youth, the drug culture, deviant behavior, and even more deviant sex. There are recurring characters (most famously, Charlemagne, Holly, and Gideon), religious allusions, literary references, and, of course, killer parties. Finn has been accused of being all the things that his music embraces, but he's said time and again that his lyrics are merely a reflection of the things that he's seen and heard. Seeing this band live is the way to go, as they might be the best at what they do (call it what you will - bar band rock, indie rock, whatever) in all of music. You won't have a better time at a rock show and you won't feel closer to a group of fellow devotees than you will at a Hold Steady show. They tour constantly, so you shouldn't have trouble catching them anywhere in these here 50 states (heck, they even came to Buffalo this year).

So what's the link between The Hold Steady and the holiday season? This band just makes you feel good - that's exactly what we all need at this time of year. As the snow falls (sometimes in horizontal sheets in our neck of the woods), the shoppers flood the roads, and the stress levels rise, its good to know that there are bands out there cranking out rock and roll the way it was meant to be played - loud and energetic and frenetic - and transporting us to all those dirty places where they throw such Killer Parties...


Here's a little taste of the boys in their element - courtesy of Ideological Cuddle favorite, Daytrotter :
The Hold Steady Live from South By Southwest (via Daytrotter):
Sequestered In Memphis
Constructive Summer
Stay Positive
Sweet Payne

And a bonus live-in-studio track of The Hold Steady covering Led Zeppelin:
Your Time Is Gonna Come

Until next time (and the beginning of the Decade's Best posts), be well, de-stress, and listen...